Persons often have difficulty in properly and adequately applying sun tan lotion, moisturizers or topical solutions and creams to hard-to-reach body parts since the back and shoulders, for example, are not readily accessible without assistance from other persons. Typical ways of applying lotions require that the lotion or cream be placed onto the hands and fingers of a person who must struggle to apply the lotion to hard-to-reach body parts. Such applications frequently are performed on a sandy beach where sand can be entrained into the lotion from the hands and fingers thereby causing irritation, discomfort and potential infection due to unsanitary conditions. Also, application of solutions by this method often does not adequately coat the skin which results in unprotected areas being left exposed to harmful rays of the sun or the chaffing effects of dry, cold air, depending on the purposes for which the lotion is applied.
Although applicator devices have been developed in response to the difficulties and inconveniences associated with applying solutions by hand, no single such device provides sanitary and disposable means for applying such lotions in an apparatus that is compact, ergonomic and versatile and includes the features of the present invention. Furthermore, several of these prior devices are bulky because they include long, non-foldable handles, while still other prior devices rely on complicated lotion dispensing reservoirs which are subject to contamination, malfunction, leakage and waste.
Accordingly, there is a need for a compact, hand held apparatus for convenient, sanitary application of topical solutions that overcomes the limitations of known devices.